Earthwatch research intern Avinoam Baruch, 23, is to begin a fully funded PhD this month on citizen scientists and flood risk, at Loughborough University, UK. We spoke with him about how his work on FreshWater Watch inspired his interest in citizen science, and has helped inform his studies.

Hopkinton, MA, December 9, 2014 – EMC Corporation, Pivotal, and the Earthwatch Institute, in association with the Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, today announced Big Data vs. Climate Change: EMC & Citizen Scientists Team Up. This new program, announced in conjunction with the White House Climate Data Initiative, will enable the study of interactions between nature and climate and promote the engagement of citizen scientists using big data lakes, analytic tools and visualizations.

The Great Barrier Reef, a world-heritage area, shared its beauty with over 400 citizen scientists for two days in October this year, as part of Reef Blitz. In one of Australia’s most bio diverse rich regions, the community gathered to identify and collect data on the unique plants and animals living in and around the Reef.

In early November, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its fifth and most in-depth report on climate change. The results were grim, as climate change reports these days tend to be. The atmosphere and oceans have warmed, the amount of snow and ice has diminished, sea levels have risen, and the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased. Our influence on the climate system is real and growing every day.

New ideas for a UK-based citizen science project are being sought by Earthwatch.

We are looking to develop and support a new flagship project that meaningfully involves members of the public in data collection. The project must contribute new knowledge to scientific priorities and inform plans or policies to improve management and stewardship of biodiversity, ecosystems or land/seascapes.

The project will engage and inspire the public, increase awareness, and foster pro-conservation behaviour and environmental stewardship. We are looking to collaborate with project leaders who have a strong interest in science communication and public engagement to facilitate interactions and outcomes beyond academia.